Newark, Ohio — A 77-year-old woman and cancer survivor has biked 25 miles routinely in preparation for this month’s Pelotonia bicycle race.

Beverly Cote started out biking four miles a day and worked her way up to 25 miles, the distance of Pelotonia, 10TV’s Andrea Cambern reported Tuesday.

Her inspiration came from someone who made history on a bicycle.

“I have been bragging about my grandfather ever since I was a kid,” Cote said.

Her grandfather, John LaFrance, rode from New York to San Francisco in 22 days and made headlines, Cambern reported.

“My grandfather did not have a 10-speed back in 1896,” Cote said. “If he could do it, I could do it.”

He was not the only reason she will ride in the annual bike tour to fight cancer.  Cote is a survivor. Over a year ago, she was diagnosed with stage-four throat and tongue cancer.

She endured 35 radiation treatments and seven rounds of chemotherapy.

“On my last exam with Dr. Old at the James, he said, ‘Are you going to ride in Pelotonia, next year?’ I told Dr. Old that if he kept me well, for one year, I will ride in it,” Cote said.

Pelotonia is scheduled to begin on August 19.

This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.